Safety signal for railway crossings



July 1'7, 1923. x 1,461,896

. C. E. FRY

SAFETY SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS Filed March 13 '1923 .v 3 Sheets-Sheet l Q I Ir I t I fl i: im Il l L Jaf Ju1y17,1923. 1,461,896

. C. E. FRY

SAFETY SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS Filed'Marcn 1:5. s sheets-sheet 2 "W2K/mies:

f n" /5 411e( July 17, 1923.

1.461.896 c. E. FRY l I SAFETY- SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS Filed March 13 1923- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented duly l', 1923.,

SAFETY SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY ClStOSSINGfS.`

Application led March 13, `1923. Serial No. 624,726.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. FRY, a

citizen of the United States, residing `at Bloomfield, in the county of Davis and State of lowa, have invented certain new and uscful improvements in Safety Signals for Railway Crossings, of which the following is a specification. s My invention relates to improvements in railway crossings and has for the main purpose thereof, the provision of such a device that is comparatively simple of construction, and inexpensive of installation, the same consisting of relatively few parts, and these so correlated in sucha manner as to reduce the liability of dearrangement to a minimum. y a

A further purpose of my invention is the provision ofV such a railway crossing gate that is positive in its operation and of such a nature as to effectively prevent the pam sage of vehicles or pedestrians across the track-way. a

rllhe nature and advantages of the invention will be Ibetter understood when the following detailed description is read in con nection with` the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts `as claimed. y p

In the drawings forming part of this ap plication, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout Figures 1 to Ll inclusive, s

Figure 1 is a side elevational viewofmy improved'railway crossing gate, the same be-` ing shown in both full and dotted line positions. i

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the railway crossing more clearly showing a form of vertically swinging platform, formingv a comt ponent part of my invention.

Figure 3 is a detail cross sectional view upon the line 3 3 of Figure 2, this platform being shown in both full and dotted line positions.

Figure 4 is a front or rear elevation, part 1y in cross section of one of the cable supporting standards that form a part of my invention.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view, partly in cross section of an automatic type of rail way crossing signal arm being shown in raised position.

Figure G is a side elevational view of the signal arm supporting standard, the signal ariibeing shown in an inoperative position, an a l F ig-ure 7 is an end elevation of the automatic crossing signal showing more clearly the train control means therefor. t

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to" Figures 1 to 4 inclusiveA` designates the 'track-way, and B the highway crossing thereover. Between the rails of the traclrway A is a filler platform 5, while at one side of the traclrway and adjacent one of the rails thereofis a shortv inclined platform `6, the opposite ends of which carry .vertical posts 7. The said roadway A is slightly inclined in a direction towards the said platform 6, as more clearly shown in Figure ,3, this roadway terminating at a point a slight distance away from the said platform 6, and carries at its edge, across strip 8. yFivoted at 9 to the said platform section 6 is a swinging platform 10, the same adapted for normal alinement between the said platform 6 and cross strip 8.

Adjacent the side of the said roadway is a supporting post 1l,the. upper end of which carries a pulley 12, and over this pulley is a protecting hood 13. The front edge ofsaid post 11 at a point above the posts 7 carried by the platform 6, has `pivotally secured thereto as atli a signal arm 15. At a point remote from the said post 11 is an additional post16, the upper end thereof also `carrying a pulley wheel 17 over which'is a `hood 18, Fivotally ysecured to the ylower endfof the post is a control lever 20 and secured at 21 to this lever is anoperating cable 22, the same being extended upwardly and engaged over the pulley 17 and thence extending forwardly and extending over the pulley 12 of the post 11. This cable 22 is connected at 23 to thefsaid signal arm 15 and at 24 to the said swinging platform 10.

In view of the above description, it will at once be apparent that when the lever 20 is swung downwardly in the direction of the arrows, Figure 1, the signal arm 15 as well as the platform 10 will be extended to the dotted line positions of Figure l, the signal arm 15 clearly indicating to pedestrians and the drivers of vehicles the approach of an oncoming train. lt will also be clearly noted that when the platform 10 is extended to a vertical position, the same will engage with the posts 7 of the platform 6 for limiting the swinging movement of the gate, and when in a vertical raised position, passage v across the trackway will be prohibited.

y13. Pivoted to a bracket plate carried by' the said post and at a point a coniderable distance abovet'he highway B is a signal arm 15. At a. point remote from the first mentioned post 11 and outwardly of ,the said track-wayfi is another post 16, the front edgefof which carries a pair of vertically alined pulleys 17 enclosed within a hood 18. "Disposed for rocking movement adjacent the lower end of the said post 16 is what'may be termed a bell crank 25, the arm 26 thereof extending inwardly and being slightly spaced from the adjacent rail ofthe traclcway for purposes hereinafter described, it being clearly noted that this arm of the said bell crank is curved as clearly shown in Figure .5. AConnected to the ,end of the other arm 2'7 of said bell 'crank is a cable A28,y 'the same extending upwardly and engaging over the said pulleys 1T. This cable vthen :extends forwardly and engages over the pulley 12 of the said post 11, it being` connected at its opposite end to the signal arm 15.

Pivoted to the said signal arm 15 at 29 is a rod 3Q, the lower end of this rod being bentl at substantially right angles and formed wit'ha notch 31, it being noted from a consideration of Figure 5, that this rod has sliding movement with a slot -32 lin the said postfllf, the lower end of this yslot being provided with .a cross pin-33 for pur.- poses hereinafter described.

ln Figures 5 and 7, .34 indicates .the usual cow .catcher of a locomotive and secured to one side of this cow catcher is an extension arm `35,'the same adapted to engage the curved arm 26 of the said bell crank 25 for consequently rocking the same downwardly for pulling upon the cable 28, which will effectively raise the signal arm 15 to the position shown in Figure 5, it being understood that the said notch 31 at a right angularly ben-t end ofthe rod 3() will position over the said cross pin 33 for supporting the said signal arm in its raised operative position. Pivoted lat 36 to a rearwardly extending bracket 37 adjacent the lower end of the Said post 11 is a rod 38, one end of thc same being bent upwardiy and in position adjacent the rail ofthe track-way soas to be contacted by the said arm upon the cow catcher The opposite end of this rod extends forwardly and has an inward'- ly bent portion 39 which has close Contact with the said rod 3() when the 65 same is'in position as shownin Figure 5,. the purpose of this rod being to release the member 30 from the said cross pin whenv the arm 35 of the cow catcher engages over the bent portion thereof. v 70 Although l have shown and described my improved form of crossinggate and signal arm as being applied to one side of thetrackway it is nevertheless to be understood-that it is within the purview to install the sanieat both s ides'of the track-way without departm ing from the spirit vand scope of the invention7 it being also understood that l vdo not wish to limit myself` to the exact structural details as shown. f

Having thus `described my invention, what l claimas new and desire to secure by LettersePatent is:- i j In railroad crossing signalsand gates, an upwardly 'and transversely swinging plat- 85 forni between the outer side of one of the rails and the aroad crossing, Ya post atone side of said platform, a signal arm pivoted to the post, `and a single means for simultaneously swinging said signal arm and platform upwardly to Vvan Voperative position. In testimony whereof l aflix my signature.

CHARLES n. FRY. 

